The Delaware ledger. (Newark, Del.) 1879-19??, 1887-09-03

Onc nlShJ, nAVlnS lllp9IIi1 lCl-
ters to write, | sat up writing after
all the household were in bed. The
window was open, and at intervals
| glanced up from my paper across
the moonlit lawn, where the shadows
of the cedars lay dark and motion
less. Now and then great downy
moth would flutter in and hover
round the shaded lamp; now and
then the swallows under the caves
uttered a faint, sleepy chirp. For
all other signs and sounds of life l
might have been the only watcher
in all the sleeping world.
l had finished my task and was
just closing my writing-case, when l
heard Il hurried movement in the
room above-Ethels. Footsteps
descended the stairs, and The next
moment the diningroom door open
cd, and Ethel appeared in a long,
white drcssing-gown, with small
night-lamp in her hand.
There was look on her face
which made me start up and ex-
claim -
"What is the matter? What has
happened?
She set down the lamp and came
towards me.
Il have heard it again." she
breathed, laying her hand on my
wrist.
"You have heard-wnat? p
"The noise in the boxroom.n
l stared at her moment iii be-
wilderment, and then half smiled.
"Oh, is that it?" | exclaimed in Il
tone of relief. "You have been
dreaming again, it seems"
II have not been asleep at all, y
she replied. "The sounds have kept
me awake. They are louder than
the first time; the child seems to be
sobbing and crying as if his heart
would break 1t is miserable TO
hear it.
"Have you looked inside ?" l ask
cd, impressed in spite OF myself by
her manner.
"No, l dared not tonight. | was
afraid of seeing-something,' she
returned with a shiyer.
Come, we must get to the bottom
ofthis mystery" I said cheerfully,
'and taking the lamp l led the way
upstairs to her room.
AS the door of the mysterious clos
ct was level with the wall, and pa
pered like it, did not perceive it
till Ethel pointed it out. l listened
with my ear close TO it. but heard
not the faintest sound, and after
waiting a moment, threw it open and
looked i'll, holding the lamp so that
every corner was lighted. 1t was
cramped, close, airless place, the
ceiling (Which was Immediately be-
low the upper stair-case) sloping at
an acute angle to the floor. A glance
showed me that il contained nothing
but Il broken chair and a couple of
empty boxes.
Slightly struggling my shoulders
| closed the door
"Your ghost is wax ct prHtorca
nihil, it seems | remarked drily.
Don't you think, Ethel, you may
have been"
Ethel held up her hand, motioning
me to silence.
"Hark," D." she whispered, there it
is again. But it is dying away now
Listen
complied, half injected by her
excitement, but within and without
the house all was profoundly still.
"There-it has ceased" she said
at length, drawing deep breath.
You heard it, did you not?"
! shook my head. MY dear
Ethel, there was nothing to hear
She opened her blue eyes to their
widest.
"Papa-am | not to believe the
evidence OF my own senses p
"Not when they are affected by
nervous excitement. If you give
way to this fancy, you will certainly
make yourself i'll. See how you
tremble Come, lie down again,
and try to sleep"
"Not here she returned, glancing
round with a shudder. shall go
to the spare chamber. Nothing
would induce me to spend another
night in this room.
l said no more; but l felt perplex-
ed and uneasy. 1t was so unlike
Ethel to indulge in superstitious
fancies that began to fear she must
be seriously out of health, and l re-
solved for my own satisfaction to
have IL doctors opinion regarding
her.